Innocent Bedtime Adventure
by Aralondwen
Summary: REPOST!*- A VERY IMPORTANT author's note about a SEQUEL! Gandalf tells the hobbits a bedtime story, about when Estel and him have a 'little' race, and things quickly get out of hand. This is funny! please read/review! its really cute!


Innocent Bedtime Adventure  
  
Author's note: This is a story I wrote a very long time ago! I don't even know why I wrote it! It was probably some junk that had been floating around in my head and I just happened to write it down. I don't even know why I'm putting this on the Internet! Well, I think I should just do it and see what happens. I got nothing to lose!  
  
This is one of my first funny fics, at least I think its funny. My friend died laughing when I read it to her, so I hope it isn't that bad.  
  
Anyway, I have no idea if I'm going to continue this. Probably not, and if I do it will be after I finish Shadows and Dust. Maybe this is just something to stick on there for my own weird entertainment, I really don't know. But I would be appreciative if you told me what you think. Thanks a bunch!  
  
I really think this is good enough to read so enjoy it, please!  
  
  
  
The horse was breathing heavily beneath him, clearly tired from running he had to do endure. The rider silently willed him to move faster, he was determined to win this time! Every time, no matter how hard he tried he could never beat him! But not this time, no, this time he was going to win and he couldn't wait to see the look on his face.  
  
He went over the plan one more time in his head. It's now or never! He swerved to the left, leaving the path and bolting into the woods. The rider in front of him saw this, and a small grin came to his face. He would never win if he went that way.  
  
The boy pushed harder! Come on! Just a little farther! Just reach the falls! The horse suddenly came into the open, right in front of the huge waterfall that ran into the lake below.  
  
The rider bolted! Leaving the weary horse and sprinting to the edge of the water. He looked down. It was a lot higher than he remembered. About a 60 feet below, he could see the lake and the rider on the path that was just about to round the bend to the shore. Oh no you don't! No way are you going to beat me now!  
  
Swallowing his fear, and taking a deep breath the boy flung himself over the edge, doing a full back flip before hitting the water a few seconds later with a huge splash! The second rider rounded the bend as soon as the boy hit the water! A look of horror came to his face!  
  
***********  
  
"Wait!" Pippin shouted, "Who are we talking about?"  
  
Frodo, Merry, and Sam all looked at Pippin with surprised faces. Gandalf just looked grimly at the Took.  
  
Gandalf sighed, "If you had been listening, you would know that I was just telling them about a time I traveled to Rivendell."  
  
"Oh. Well who was the rider you were talking about?"  
  
Gandalf looked up, "Aragorn." At that moment the Ranger came up behind them, a small grin was on his face, as he watched them crowd around Gandalf. "What story are you telling them now?" he asked.  
  
Gandalf smiled, "The one with you and the lake in Rivendell." Strider's face suddenly became stern, "No! Why are you giving them crazy ideas like that?!" Gandalf just shrugged and grinned.  
  
"The rider was you, Aragorn?" Frodo exclaimed! Strider just rolled his eyes and sighed, "Oh no." He sank down next to Frodo, he might as well hear what Gandalf thought about his little adventure.  
  
"Go on with the story! Tell us what happened!" said Merry.  
  
Gandalf turned to Aragorn, "Well, how old were you? I can't really remember." Aragorn just sighed, trying to remember as well, "I think I was about.fifteen."  
  
Gandalf smiled, "That's right, it was a week before your birthday. Now, were did I leave off? Oh yes, I had just saw him hit the water.."  
  
***************  
  
"Estel!" Gandalf cried as he ran from his horse to he water, his frantic face searched the water for any sign of the boy. He suddenly heard a sound coming from the rocks nearby. Aragorn gasped for breath! All the air was pressed from his lungs when he slammed into the water! His body hurt all over, but in his mind was the sweet thought of VICTORY.  
  
He was alive and undoubtedly the winner of the race! The thought gave him a shining burst of confidence. As his vision started to clear, he was aware that Gandalf was nearby, and frantically worried. He grimaced; he didn't mean to worry the old wizard. As he started to swim forward, Gandalf wadded out to meet him.  
  
Panic and worry were all over his face. Aragorn's hearing was starting to come back too. He could somewhat hear Gandalf's voice, asking if he was all right, but it was drowned out by the rushing sound in his ears. He still wasn't sure if it was him or the waterfall that was making it.  
  
Gandalf hurried over to the boy. He grabbed his shoulders as he began to slump and tilted Aragorn's face to meet his.  
  
The blurry gray eyes met his and Gandalf was somewhat relived when the boy smiled. "T-Told you I would w-w-win," he said, blearily.  
  
Gandalf couldn't help the tugs at the corners of his mouth when he said this. There was no doubt; he had been in the water first. And now the boy before him was looking for the entire world like a drowned cat. What would Elrond say? Although he was not his flesh and blood, Elrond considered Estel to be his son. He would not be happy when he learned of this.  
  
Aragorn must have been thinking the same thing, because the next words out of his mouth were, "You're not going to tell are you?"  
  
Gandalf wasn't sure what he was going to do. For the moment though, they had to get out of the water. He slowly led Aragorn back to shore, laid him on the beach, and stood over him. Aragorn was too worn out to care what Gandalf was going to do to him. Was he angry? He propped himself on one elbow and peered at the wizard, watching him. Gandalf couldn't help but laugh. He could tell what the boy was thinking  
  
"No, I'm not angry. But Elrond would be. In fact, I'm stilling debating whether I should tell him or not. What were you thinking?"  
  
Aragorn pushed himself into a sitting position. "I guess I just had to win. I've never been able to beat you before now. I was tired of losing."  
  
Gandalf laughed again; "I guess so!" He started to wring out his clothes. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, looking him over again.  
  
Aragorn smiled, "Yes, I'm alive."  
  
Gandalf offered him his hand and pulled him off the ground. "Come, let's get you into some drier clothes. We wouldn't want you getting sick and not to mention the poor horse you left on the top," he said, looking up at the falls. "I still can't believe you jumped."  
  
Aragorn grinned, "It was your idea to race anyway. I still cannot believe Elrond let me come with you. He above all knows all the trouble you can get yourself into."  
  
Aragorn wrestled out of his soaked shirt and cloak and laid them over a nearby tree stump. His pants were dripping wet, but he suspected that they would dry soon. He laid his sword next to his clothes and climbed the huge rock over the cove for a better look around the area.  
  
Gandalf was still surprised by Aragorn's last statement; he stopped to gaze at the boy in wonder. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about. Remember that I wasn't the five-year-old who let the Pickenees spiders out of their cage on Elrond's birthday. And the nine-year- old who broke his arm when he tried to see how high he could climb the old oak tree, or the one that burned the old sacred manuscripts in Elrond's study. And I definitely wasn't the ten-year old who put the frog in Glorifindal's water case."  
  
Aragorn gave him a challenging look and argued, "Well, at least I don't wear tall pointy hats! You know, Gandalf, those things went out of style ages ago. I suggest a new wardrobe."  
  
He turned, satisfied at his comeback, but only to feel a sudden "WACK" on his back. He looked back, and glared at the old wizard holding his staff. Gandalf's face was stern but Aragorn could see the playful glint in his eye. "Always respect your elders, boy!" he reminded sternly.  
  
Aragorn just mumbled under his breath, "Elder is right." Unfortunately, Gandalf's ears heard him and he received another hard smack with the staff, only this time, it was to the head.  
  
"Oww!" he yelled, rubbing the back of his head painfully, "I am right, you know. The spider incident was just an accident! How was I supposed to know that Elrond was allergic to them! You have to admit it was funny to see him turn all those shades of purple. And I didn't actually want to break my arm when I fell out of that tree; it wasn't like I was planning on doing that! And the burning manuscripts was an accident too, Elrond should have kept the room better lit. If he had, I wouldn't have had to put them so close to the fire to read them."  
  
Gandalf argued back, "And what about the frog in the water case? That was no "accident."'  
  
"Well, that was actually a dare. But he didn't have any permanent damage!"  
  
Gandalf laughed, "I hope it was worth it. If I remember correctly, you were forced into many hard hours of extra training and lessons for that one."  
  
When his laughing died down he sat down with a tired sigh. Aragorn just lay on his back for a while in the hot sand, just thinking.  
  
Until Gandalf finally decided that they had stayed there long enough. "Well, boy, since you seem to always be in enough trouble, I'll be merciful this time and keep this little incident between you and me. Now, if you are ready, I think we should head back."  
  
Aragorn nodded and went to pick up his stuff. With the old wizard leading the way, Aragorn silently followed, wondering if any more adventures would come with the wizard.  
  
****************** Aragorn looked around, all eyes were on him. "What?! I was fifteen! I'm sure you did stupid things as a kid too!"  
  
Frodo laughed at that one, "Oh yes! Especially Pippin!" Pippin got a look of shock on his face, "Not me! I was the ideal child!" Frodo, Sam and Merry laughed even harder. And even Aragorn and Gandalf got a chuckle from that one.  
  
Frodo started up with another story, "I remember this one time, when Pip and Merry.." Everyone crowded around to hear the tale, and as the fire blazed, hearty laughter could be heard, bubbling into the air like smoke from the pit, rising slowly into the star-glazed night sky.  
  
The End.  
  
(Author's note again: Just to let you know that the next story that Frodo was recalling, was inspired by my friend ClariceTook who wrote a hilarious story about Pip and Merry.. and rampaging sheep! It is drop dead funny! Look for it! It will be coming soon! I really suggest reading it!) 


End file.
